LGBTQ+ Pride parade returns to Boston after rift over inclusivity

BOSTON — The biggest Pride parade in New England returned to Boston on Saturday after a three-year hiatus, with a fresh focus on social justice and inclusion rather than corporate backing.

Marchers cheered, danced and held signs representing various causes during the two-hour event, while people along the sidelines cheered back. About 10,000 marchers signed up before registration was shut down, according to organizers.

Mason Dunn, 37, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, said the crowd was diverse: “All different gender identities, all different race, ethnicity, age, ability. We’re seeing a really great representation.”

Some participants memorialized transgender people who died because of bias or hate in the U.S. by carrying signs with one of their names in the parade, Dunn said.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, one of the nation’s first two openly lesbian governors, said ahead of the parade that she was excited to participate.

“This is a particularly special one to be marching in this year and at this time where we see states and some governors going backward, taking away equality, taking away freedoms, demonizing members of the LGBTQ community, hurting them, banning books, banning shows, banning access to even health care,” Healey said.

The parade’s return came amid growing hostility to LGBTQ+ people in parts of the country. Some states have limited drag shows, restricted gender-affirming medical care and banned school library books for their LGBTQ+ content.

Though Boston’s parade happened the second weekend of Pride Month, many other large cities — including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver and Minneapolis — hold their main marches on the last weekend of June. Some cities host their events throughout the month or even at other times of the year. In Europe, Rome and Athens also held pride parades Saturday, as did Indianapolis; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and several other U.S. and global cities.

In Washington, President Joe Biden welcomed hundreds to the White House for a Pride celebration that had initially been scheduled for Thursday but was postponed because of poor air quality caused by Canadian wildfires.